Ukrainian authorities have seized HBO’s trademarks registered in Ukraine following the company’s failure to comply with a Supreme Court ruling in the case of Lyudmyla Ignatenko – the widow of firefighter Vasyl Ignatenko, who died responding to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
Ignatenko filed her lawsuit in 2020, claiming that the creators of HBO’s acclaimed miniseries Chernobyl (2019) used her name and her late husband’s name as character names without her consent. Ukrainian courts at multiple levels confirmed the violation of her personal non–property rights. The Supreme Court’s Civil Cassation Court ordered HBO to pay UAH 500,000 (USD 12,000) in moral damages.
As of April 27, 2026, the company had not complied with the ruling. According to the attorney, who represents Ignatenko, HBO’s representatives had contacted him and stated they respected the court’s decision and intended to comply voluntarily, but the payment never arrived. The company twice questioned the validity of the bank account details provided by the claimant’s side.
Private enforcement officer Andriy Avtorkov placed a seizure on HBO’s Ukrainian trademarks. Should the company continue to ignore the ruling, these assets may be put up for public auction.
This case is a compelling illustration of how intellectual property assets – specifically registered trademarks – can serve as an effective enforcement tool against major international companies that hold no physical assets in a given jurisdiction.